The End of Music
by RedHead537
Summary: Rick is the way he is, for a reason. What if he never wanted to leave Beth in the first place? Morty gets a look at one of Rick's darkest memories.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I do not own Rick and Morty. This is my first crack at writing for pleasure, comments are welcome. Not looking to become a great writer, this is just a story I can't get out of my head- I had to put it on paper.

Rick is the way he is, for a reason. What if he never wanted to leave Beth in the first place? Morty gets a look at one of Rick's darkest memories.

The End of Music

A brooding older man sits alone in a dark bar underneath soft red lighting. He takes a sip of his scotch whiskey while staring blanking at the stage ahead of him while sitting at a small wooden table in the corner. He's unaware of the stares and murmurs that are centered around him. With his abstract grey hair, white lab coat, and brown pants, he doesn't exactly fit in to the hustle and bustle of bar crowds in the 1970's. But he pays them no mind and continues to stare blankly at the couple placed on the stage.

He tries to limit himself to visiting this timeline more than once a year. To him, it's the equivalent of emotional cutting, but he knows he won't be able to help himself on this day. He came back a few months prior, thank God none of the other Rick's at the Citadel called him out on this visit when they scanned his portal gun. He knew the Rick's would categorize him as the weak, emotional, pathetic Rick. Wanting to maintain his self-proclaimed title as 'The Rickest Rick', he knew he wanted to keep his secret safe.

With a wave of his arm, he gets the attention of a young waitress. She strolls over to him lightly, but is a little taken aback by his appearance when she gets closer. "What's c-can I get for you, doll?" she says a little stunned. "Another scotch, n-neat." Rick says to her. She nods, turns tail and heads toward the bar.

While waiting for her, the mood of the music has shifted up on the stage. The young couple on stage began singing a slower acoustic love ballad. A few drunk couples start slow dancing in the middle of room, clearly enjoying the musical talents of the pair. When the song is finished, the young woman musician stands and approaches the mic. She looks to be in her mid to late 20's. Her long auburn hair reached a bit past her shoulders, while complimenting her beautiful green eyes. She was wearing an elegant tea length black lace stress paired with a beaming smile.

"Thank you, everyone! You all have been such a great crowd! We'll close our set with one more song tonight. This is an original song written by my husband and I-" as she gestures lovingly toward the man beside her.

Rick doesn't notice the waitress come up beside him and set down his drink.

"That's $2.45, sweetheart!" the waitress says in a bubbly, loud voice.

Ripped from his thoughts, he looks annoyingly at the waitress and tosses three dollars on the table.

"There. K-keep the change."

"Wow, thanks mister!" she says after bouncing away.

Rick turns his attention back to the stage, but not before taking another drink from his scotch.

The tall, lanky, blonde haired man that had been sitting next to her steps up next to the mic.

"Thanks Marie! I just wanted to add s-something really quick." The man turns to her a takes the girl's hands in his own.

"I just want to dedicate this song to m-my beautiful wife! You've made me the happiest guy on-on this Earth. Thanks for loving me, and Happy Anniversary! T-two years and strong, b-baby!"

With this statement, he bends over taking her face in his hands and kisses her. While they linger deeply in their kiss, the bar crowd begins a series of claps, woots, and cheers for the happy couple. However the man alone in the back corner holds a steady, stern face. Throwing his head back for the last of his whiskey, he leaves his glass on the table and gets up to head for the door while the couple is still kissing. He shifts his ways through the crowd to make his way outside of the bar.

He stumbles a couple blocks down the street before turning to his left into a dark, empty alleyway. Reaching inside his coat pocket, he pulls out his portal gun. Shooting it at the alley wall, a large green swirl appears in front of him. He stares at it just long enough to take another quick nip of the flask in his jacket.

"…. H-happy Anniversary, Marie…." Rick says in an unwavering, even tone. He closes his eyes, and steps through the portal.

Beth Sanchez stands with her arms crossed in front of the window. She's concerned. She's aware of what today means to her father, even though she knows he'd never admit it. She would wait for him as long it takes for him to make it home. She didn't want her father wallowing alone in a puddle of his own alcoholistic depression and anger.

Suddenly, she hears clamoring coming from her garage. She quickly turns from the window to open the garage door, where she sees her very inebriate father sitting at his workbench, tinkering with some scientific gadget.

"..h-hey dad, where have you been all day?" she asks gently.

"Ohh you-you know… ju-just science things. Needed more those-more mega s-sEEEEds for my uh…sc-science." Rick says casually in between drunken belches.

"Oh, ok…" Beth says quietly

"I made your favorite for dinner, dad! Barbeque chicken with butter rolls. We ate a while ago, but I saved you some! Do you want me to bring it you?"

"N-no, that's ok s-sweetie. I'm… I'm not th-that hungry."

Beth sighed to herself in disappointment. "Ok dad…. Dad? Do you, um… do you want to talk about it?"

Beth notices Rick's shoulders droop slightly, as if he's exhaled a breathe he's been holding for some time. He swivels around in his chair to face her.

"BETH, I'm I'm FINE. I've got a lot…a lot of w-work to do here so if you, you don't mind…" Rick says coldly, then swivels back to his table. It's out of character for Rick to snap at Beth, but she should know better than to bring up the subject of 'talking about it' to him. He reached under his work bench to pull out another half empty bottle of whisky.

"…ok, ok Dad. I'll be inside if you need anything." And with this, Beth exits the garage, pulling the door closed behind her.

She knew her dad didn't want to talk about it, but she also knew he shouldn't be alone. She pauses for a moment at the bottom the stairs before walking up them. She stops in front of Morty's room and knocks gently. She knows that her son and father have developed a sort of bond over the past years. Maybe he'll open up to Morty?

"Morty…?" Beth says sweetly as she enters her son's room.

"Hey mom, what's-what's up?" Morty asks. He's sitting on his bed, holding his laptop.

"Hey buddy, can we talk for a sec?" she asks lightly.

"S-sure mom…" Morty says, clearly a bit freaked out by his mother's high pitched voice. He can tell when his mom is trying to cover her emotions. She sits next to him on the bed, fiddling with her hands in her lap.

"Could you do your mom a favor? You see, grandpa Rick is alone in the garage right now and… I think he could use some company!" Beth finishes the statement by throwing her arms in the air in a fake, excited way. But Morty can see right through his mom's faux excitement, but decided he'll not mention it.

"C-company? I mean, sure. I'll go and see what he's up to. I did-didn't know he was back." Morty says. Rick had told Morty he was going to a dimension with three headed spider snakes that only ate beings less than 20 years old, so he needed to stay behind. Morty thought this was a little strange, but was also relieved to stay behind for once on a crazy interdimensional journey.

Beth smiled at Morty with relief. She knew she could count on Morty- he was such a sweet, caring son.

"Thank you Morty. He may not say it, but it will mean a lot to your grandpa."

Beth leans over and gives Morty a tight hug, which Morty awkwardly returns. Why is his mom acting so weird?

"N-no problem, mom…" He sets down his laptop and heads for the garage after his mom leaves his room.

Morty stopped in front of the garage door and knocked lightly a couple times.

"H-hey, R-Rick? What-what are you up to?" Morty says as he slowly creeps his head into the garage.

Rick is sitting at his bench with his back facing Morty, muttering to himself. Morty isn't sure if Rick has heard him or not, so he approaches closer. Before he can speak again, he looks down over Rick's shoulder to see what he's working on. He's surprised to see Rick holding a small, smooth looking rock in his hand. It's about the size of a silver dollar, and there doesn't seem to be anything spectacular about it. The second realization Morty comes to after what his grandfather is holding is his grandfather's incredible odor. Morty of course knew that Rick smelled of booze most of the time, but this was another level. Being in close proximity to him was making Morty's eyes burn.

"It's iiit's… Morty, it's t-time again." Rick slurs as he turns to face Morty, grabbing his grandson by his collar to pull him closer.

Morty puts his hands up to his face to shield himself from the intense smell and burn of alcohol as Rick continues to speak.

"Rick, wh-what are talking about? What time is it? Wh-what do you m-mean?" Morty stutters.

Rick begins shaking Morty slightly to emphasize his words, or to perhaps keep Rick grounded in whatever sense of reality he has left.

"M-MORTY, it's…it's the TIME, Morty, the-the TIME. I tried…URRGH… I t-tried everything to ch-change it… but it's, NOT… she…. She-she-she does it…it h-happens every, every time, Morty." Rick lets go over Morty and puts his head down on his work desk and grips his silver hair. He closes his eyes.

Morty still isn't sure exactly what Rick is trying to explain to him, but Rick using the word 'she' catches Morty's attention.

"S-she? She who, Rick?" Morty asks quietly.

Rick lifts his head off the table and looks at Morty. It's not a look Morty has ever seen from Rick, and Morty inwardly gasps. The usual confident, arrogant, angry Rick has replaced his look typical look with one of deep aching and grief. Rick continues to stare at Morty for a few more moments before blinking slowly and turning away again, drool ever apparent on his frown.

"Ma… Marieee" Rick eventually says slowly, while picking up the rock again and running it smoothly over his long, thin fingers. He stares at it intently while he says her name.

"Ma, Marie? I-Is that?..." Morty trails off, hoping Rick would willingly volunteer the information he doesn't want to say out loud. To Morty surprise, his grandfather indeed, replies.

"M-my, my URRRGH w-wife, M-Morty….I-I lost h-her." Rick says, still all the while staring at and holding the stone.

Morty is somewhat stunned. There has been very little mention of Morty's grandmother throughout his life. The name was a little recognizable to him, but she was rarely mentioned. He had always assumed Rick had left his mother and grandmother for some wacky adventure, or that the family life never sat well with him. However now that Morty was thinking about it, if Rick never wanted to be in a family way, why was he living with daughter? If he really wanted to be without family, why wouldn't he go off on his own again?

Morty isn't sure what to say next. But he didn't have to worry about that for long, as Rick speaks up again.

"Here, M-Morty. I-I-I can URRRGH show you." Rick says between burps as he reaches for a small piece of machinery on the table. He puts the device in Morty's hand. It's shaped sort of like an ear piece, but Morty knows after years of having Rick around that it's always hard to tell what these inventions are for. He looks up at Rick for further direction.

"H-here, Morty, just… -j-just put it, put it on… like, like this" Rick says as he reaches over and places the contraption on a place near the back of Morty's neck. With a pinch and a yelp from Morty, Rick seems pleased with the device's placement. He rummages around in a box before pulling out an exact replica of Morty's device and places it on his own neck.

"You, you see this M-MORRRTY? I can, I can s-show you." Rick presses a button on the back of Morty's head before Morty has time to protest. In an instant, Morty's world goes dark.


	2. Chapter 2

Morty slowly begins to become aware of his body and surroundings. He opens his eyes slowly and to see green grass. He hears several voices and steps all around him, a sort of mixed, relaxed murmur of intelligent conversations. As Morty lifts his head, he has trouble distinguishing where he is. Is this a park? No, no too much foot traffic… a campus?

As Morty stands, he looks to his left and notices Rick standing perfectly skill, save a few bored blinks. Rick looks over at Morty with annoyance.

"Are, are you URRRRgh with, with it yet Morty?" Rick said with frustration. He again, pulls out his flask.

"Where are we, Rick? Are-are we still in the garage?" Morty asked

"Y-yes, Morty we're still…still in the garage URRGH. This is a new scientific g-gadget I invited that allows me to revisit, resee…in a person's, in m-my own memories." Rick replied

"Oh that's, that's neat Rick! Kind of like the pensive from, uh, H-Harry Potter?" Morty replied.

"Ugh, M-Morty. I'm w-waay fucking cooler than Harry P-Potter. Magic's for pussies, URGGH Morty. S-science is FACT!" Rick answered. With his final syllable, Rick characteristically passes out drunk in the grass. It seems that the alcohol was still taking toll on Rick's brain in his memories. Flask in hand and a gentle snore keeping his grandfather company, Morty decides to go exploring in Rick's memory to try to find some answers.

Morty noted that similar to the Harry Potter premise, people in Rick's memories obviously could not see or hear him. It still took him a little bit to figure this out, only realizing after several people in a row refused to give him directions or speak to him.

It was a beautiful spring day in Rick's mind, and Morty felt a sense of warmth over him while walking around. A large collective of students were gathering into a nearby auditorium, so Morty decided to follow them inside. There were probably about 100+ students in the lecture hall, and an excited energy buzzed through the room as they quickly took their seats. Morty decided to sit on the stairs in the middle of the auditorium, seeing how no one could seem him, it seemed like the perfect place.

The chatter was silenced by the opening of the door at the bottom of the hall. Out stepped a young, blonde-haired version of his grandfather carrying several books to the podium. Morty was confused why Rick was at the front of the class before he spoke.

"All, all right class. Go ahead a-and open up the Quantum Theory Central Premise texts to page 204."

Morty was gaping. Rick is teaching a class? But Rick always says school is for stupid people!

Morty continues to watch the memory of his grandfather teach 100+ students about some sort of insane scientific study. A couple students, completely overwhelmed, get up and walk out. When the class was finally finished, the students began filling out, including his memory-Rick. He followed the blonde haired Rick for several blocks while this Rick walked with a spring in his step down the street. It was strange for Morty to picture his grandpa Rick in this way. Morty had ever only known him as the miserable, often hateful, drunken Rick that drags him from his bedroom at 2am every other night. This Rick seems to have a glow about him, one Morty can only describe as content.

They walk a few more blocks until they come to a small yellow house with a burgundy roof. Morty notices beautiful flowers surrounding an elegant rock garden in the front yard before they enter. Morty follows Rick as he bounds up the steps, two at a time, and opens the pristine white oak door.

Rick places his keys on a table near the door way and jumps over a few small toys laying in the floor. Morty notices it is a nice home, hardwood floors, crown molding, with happy yellow paint on the walls. Rick walks into the kitchen, his eyes moving around quickly, looking.

"Marie? Where are you?" Rick called out light heartedly.

Morty continues to watch the scene unfold in front of his eyes from the doorway.

Rick hears movement on the second floor of his home, so he turns back towards Morty to go up toward the stairs.

"Marie? I ended class e-early today, sweetie." Rick said as he turns the landing at the top of the stairs.

Before Morty could make his way up the stairs, he heard muffled and angry yells from the bedroom above. Suddenly, a dark haired man who looked to be about 18 or so bounded quickly down the stairs. He was fidgeting with the edges of his shirt as he ran right through Morty out the door. After Morty recovers from the brief shock of having a person run through him, he finishes the distance of the stairs to arrive in what he assumed to be Rick and Marie's bedroom.

He looks to his left to see a pale faced Rick with his back against the wall slide down weakly into a sitting position. Morty looks to the bed in the middle of the room to see who he concluded to be his grandmother in tears, trying to quickly cover her naked body. It didn't take Morty long to put the pieces together.

Rick continued to remain in a sitting position and appeared to be hyperventilating slightly, staring blankly in front of him, his hands gripping his blonde hair tightly.

"Ma…Marie, how… h-how… could you?" Rick stammered from the floor, covering his face with his hands.

"Rick, I… I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry. I haven't been… happy… for a while." Marie said regretfully.

Something about this comment put a new energy into young-Rick. He tore his hands away from his face and looked at her furiously.

"You h-haven't been happy for a… WHILE?!" Rick shouts, standing up with anger clenching his fists white.

"What, what about BETH?! D-did you even th-think about her? I took this God, damn, fucking, idiot U-University SHIT gig for-for you, so you can pl-play music! And y-you…you…"

Marie turned her back to Rick. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I j-just... I'm looking for something more, Rick. And I think… you should go" she whispered.

Rick closed his eyes and turned his head as if he'd been slapped in the face, seeming to be in physical pain. His fists began to shake as he reached for his inside jacket pocket. He pulled out his portal gun and let it hang at his side.

"You, you don't…have to t-tell me twice. Take care of Beth." Rick said. And in an instant, he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Morty felt a twinge of pain down his back as he opened his eyes to a familiar sight. The sun was shining as he sat up in his garage and looked up to see his grandfather laying with his head on his work bench, eyes closed and snoring softly. He stood up to feel the device in the back of his neck loosen and then release. Morty took it in his hand and stared at it for some time, deep in thought.

All this time, Morty had assumed Rick was an asshole for his own person pleasure. But the truth was, he had been damaged by someone else to become the untrusting, brash, cold person he was. So much of his grandfather's behaviors and tendencies suddenly all seemed to make perfect sense. The coping mechanisms were much clearer to Morty. 'Don't think about it'... How long had Rick been using this phrase to run from this hurt? Alcohol, drugs, random women, numb. The total list of things Rick wanted to feel. Morty suddenly had a flood of thoughts, a laundry list of comments from his grandpa leaving clues.

Before they escaped with Fart in Gear World…

"I want to make two things very clear… first, never betray me. Second, it's time to go."

And again in the kitchen before they wrecked the entire world…

"Morty, I hate to break it to ya, but what people call "love" is just a chemical reaction that compels animals to breed. It hits hard, Morty, then it slowly fades- leaving you stranded in a failing marriage..."

Morty looked up again at his sleeping grandfather with new eyes. Slowly, Rick's eyes began to open.

"Ohhhhh maaan…" Rick moaned, rubbing the back of his head. He eventually fiddled with the device until it popped off. Touching the back of his head, he looked down at his grandson.

"You-you Ok Morty? Damn, this thing is giving me one shitty h-hangover…" Rick said, continuing to rub his head in pain. Suddenly, Rick seemed to remember the previous mind-fuck journey between them. He looked down wearily at Morty.

"So, uh-umm… Did-did my device work? Wh-what were you able to s-see?" Rick asked.

Morty for some reason, felt a terrible feeling of guilt in his stomach. He wasn't it sure if he felt bad about knowing Rick's secret, what had happened to Rick, or how he had judged him all these years. He decided to peg it to all of the above. He swallowed hard.

"Umm… ye-yeah, Rick, it works." Morty stuttered.

Rick looked at him silently for a moment before turning away from him.

"L-look Morty I don't, don't uhh… really remember a lot from last night, you know? What were we talking about? Wh-what did I show you with this-this thing?" He said shaking the neck device at Morty.

Morty knew he had to make a decision. If he pretends Rick showed him some cool space monster in his memories, things will go back to normal. Rick won't have to live with the fact that Morty has seen the worst moment of his life. Rick can continue his life as the numb, jaded individual he is. They won't have to have this awkward conversation.

But instead of taking the easy way out, Morty decides he wants to help set Rick free.

"Yeah, R-Rick… I saw you um, teaching, or something at a school. Th-then you went to your house…" Morty trails off and looks at the ground, not wanting to make eye contact. But he sees Rick stiffen out of the corner of his eye.

"I saw…saw the fight between you and, um…grandma. When you left." Morty said softly, and braced himself for Rick's reaction.

After a few moments of silence, Morty raised his head to look at Rick. He had turned back to face his work bench. Again, he was holding the smooth stone and running it through his fingers while staring at it. Morty and Rick sat in silence for some time. Eventually, Rick spoke up.

"…I'm… s-sorry, you saw that Morty." Rick said quietly.

"Rick, I…I had no, no idea" Morty replied.

"She, she had been fucking that guy a couple-few months, I guess. I th-think it was a kid who she met in my, my class. Fucked up, right?" Rick said in a low, even voice. Morty nodded in silence as he listened.

"We had moved to that house when Beth-your, your mom, was about seven, I think. I tried to come back a few times after I left-had gone. But Marie wouldn't… wouldn't let me see your mom. I eventually left for real… for good, I thought. I-I even tried going back a few timelines to try- get myself to, pay more attention…to her, you know? Thought maybe, if I… tried, harder or something she might… might not. B-But it uhh… was the same. Every time. She… she broke my heart."

Rick jumped a little as he felt his grandson rest a hand on his shoulder. But he was even more surprised at the words his grandson spoke after that.

"Rick…it… it wasn't your fault."

Rick would never have bet in a million years those words would fall from anyone's mouth-let alone his grandson. Morty turned his grandfather's shoulders and swiveled him in his chair to face Morty.

"Rick, I'm… I'm s-so sorry. It… WASN'T your fault. People who-who cheat, th-they… they're cowards!" Morty said with conviction.

Rick grabbed Morty's hands and took them away from his shoulders with a low chuckle.

"Th-thanks for saying that, Morty, but... I don't… really think that's true. Your grandma, she… she was something really special. I… didn't, d-deserve her in the first place. I consider my-myself an idiot I couldn't get... couldn't hold on to her longer."

Morty couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd never heard Rick talk about himself in this way before- in any way that didn't depict Rick as the coolest badass in the universe. Then it hit Morty. This is the Rick that has been hiding behind the coping behaviors. A sad, insecure, broken, lonely man. Birdperson was right. Morty just couldn't see past it until now.

"Rick, look… I-I know I'm just a kid, but- but I have an idea of what love is. R-Real love, too! That wasn't it, Rick! You don't… you don't hurt the ones you love like that. You, you let them in. It's scary sometimes, b-but putting yourself out there is how…how it happens, I think" Morty said.

Rick shrugged indifferently, and turned around to look at his rock again. After a few seconds, he tossed the rock in a nearby box and began working silently with another small gadget.

"Whatever, it's, it's fine M-Morty… just, you know… don't think about it. I-I… think you should go now." Rick said sternly without facing his grandson.

Morty sighed and walked toward the door. Before pulling the door shut, he stole a few more moments staring sadly at Rick. Morty wasn't sure if he had done more harm than good by telling Rick the truth. He should have known that the complexities of a Rick couldn't be rationalized or solved in one dumb, grandson pep talk.

When Rick hear the click of the garage door close, he exhaled and rested his head in his hands. After a moment, he reached inside his jacket to take a long drink of scotch. He retrieved the stone again from the box he had tossed it in when Morty was in the room. He placed the stone in his pocket and took out his portal gun. He typed in the coordinates and the green oval appeared before him. He hesitated for a moment, but then stepped on through.


	4. Chapter 4

Rick was overlooking a vast ocean of water as he stood on a small patch of land. It was a world that was covered 99.9% by water, save one small island. Rick often came here to be alone and think about Marie. As he stood staring out into the water, he reached into his pocket, comforted by the smooth coolness of the stone. He grasped the rock in his fingers and took it out of his pocket. He stared at it in his palm for several minutes. Eventually, he spoke. He wanted to speak as all versions of himself, across space and time. The restless thoughts and feelings of her were going to kill him. He had never felt this unsure.

"I… I have to try to… try to let you go." He stammered, looking down at the stone. He clenched the rock in his fist and with all his strength, pulled back behind his head to launch the rock as far as he could into the water.

It sank quickly, and in an instant there was no trace it had ever been. Rick wasn't sure if he would ever be able to face all of his demons, but this one… was a start.

 _Thanks for reading, everyone! I had some trouble with my past/present tense at times. I tried to fix it as best as I could, hopefully it wasn't too distracting._

 _Rick and Morty for 100 years!_


End file.
